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Tag: thesis annotation

Nathan

Between The Lines

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Perhaps when you annotate your thesis to get ready for the viva you won’t strictly write “between the lines” – but you will need to consider what things mean and draw something out.

Maybe you’ll spot a keyword or two that could be highlighted. Or a sentence that stands out or needs a note in the margin for clarification.

As you prepare you’ll probably want to write a summary or two as well. You’ll consider a section and “read between the lines,” capturing the big ideas or points in a few sentences.

There are a lot of words in your thesis. You don’t need to remember them all to succeed at your viva, but carefully reflecting on what’s there, looking between the lines, is a valuable investment of time as you get ready.

Nathan

The Unread Notes

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Ahead of my viva I wrote in my thesis margins to simplify jargon. I checked my maths to convince myself I was right. I found an unclear explanation and rewrote it so it made more sense to me. I wrote notes on my external’s research interests to understand why my work was incompatible.

I made a lot of notes before my viva – and I read none of them in my viva, even the margin notes.

I was asked by my examiners to prepare a presentation to start the exam and I don’t think I read those notes either!

The notes were to help me get ready and they did.

All of my notes helped me to feel that I was doing or had done everything I could to be ready.

Nathan

Sticky Notes

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Cheer up your viva prep with a selection of sticky notes for your thesis.

Mark out the beginning of chapters and important sections. Add sentences of clarification to pages. Stick in summaries and helpful bullet point lists. Find the best pages and make them stand out with a bit of colour.

There’s a lot of serious viva prep that needs to be done; I’ve mentioned several parts in this post already! Just because something is serious doesn’t mean it can’t also be done with a little smile.

Annotate your thesis as part of your viva prep to make a better version of your thesis; use sticky notes to make that better version a little happier too.

Nathan

Your Thesis

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Your thesis is proof that you did the work. It’s the best summary you are able to make of years of research you’ve done.

Your thesis is a talisman to hold on to. It’s one more thing you can look to for confidence in your capability and knowledge.

Your thesis is a resource to use in the viva. Read it in preparation and annotate it to make it more helpful..

Your thesis is one book, but can mean lots of things.

What’s the most helpful story you can tell yourself about your thesis?

Nathan

Pages & Pages

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There are so many pages in your thesis.

The pages contain the best of your research, told as well as you can; they hold facts and/or figures, opinions and conclusions, details and digressions and everything that you think is needed to tell the story of your PhD research.

The pages in your thesis have big clear borders and section headings, chapter titles and funny words, maybe footnotes and appendices and a bibliography pointing to even more reading!

And the pages in your thesis contain typos and hidden points, possibilities for changes and unclear expressions, lots that you remember and a fair amount you probably don’t.

There are pages and pages and pages of stuff in your thesis. The smallest thesis still contains a lot!

Get ready for your viva by reading, annotating, summarising and feeling proud of the wonderful book you wrote.

Nathan

Annotation & Other Things

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In case you didn’t spot it at the time, I was interviewed a few months ago for The PhD Life Raft Podcast! Dr Emma Brodzinski runs The PhD Life Raft and hosts the podcast. I was a returning guest, having appeared back in 2021 as well.

It was great fun to talk this time about all things viva prep, but in particular thesis annotation and the kinds of practical steps candidates can take to get ready for the viva – topics that regular readers of this blog will know I am very interested in.

Take a listen when you have half an hour: we talk a lot about viva prep and the viva – as well as Keep Going, the Viva Survivors anthology I published last year!

Nathan

Prompt

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If you’re concerned about remembering certain things at your viva then it’s alright to use prompts. Highlight keywords on thesis pages, mark the beginnings of key sections and prepare summaries before the viva to help bring your thoughts together.

You’re not expected to be perfect, but you can help your confidence by finding useful prompts in your preparation.

You can directly prompt your confidence for the viva too. Consider what helps you to feel better and feel confident. It could be something you wear. A small ritual or item could help. Listening to a song or playlist could give a boost.

Prompt your confidence by whatever means help you so that you don’t forget that you are good enough.

Nathan

A Clear Desk

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Start your viva prep with a clear desk, then think about what you might need to add back.

Just imagine…

  • You need your thesis.
  • You need some small bits of stationery, either to add things to your thesis or to make notes.
  • You need a few papers you want to check, or perhaps a device to read them on.
  • You need your diary for making arrangements with your supervisor or friends for some practise.
  • You probably need some refreshments too!

Now with all of that in your mind’s eye realise that viva prep doesn’t take much. It doesn’t take lots of resources and it won’t take long to complete.

Nathan

Marking References

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Your final thesis can be annotated in preparation for your viva. While you might naturally be drawn to underlining typos or adding a few helpful words to the margins, paying attention to the references you cite can be a simple way to improve your thesis’ usefulness as a resource in the viva.

You could highlight different kinds of reference – information, methodology support, question and so on – in different ink colours to draw distinctions between them. You could find the ten most important ones and add highlighter tabs or bookmarks to draw attention to where you use them. You could write a sentence or two at the top of the page to catch your eye.

You had to pay a lot of attention to the work of other researchers to help your research grow. You had to invest a lot if time in being certain that you understood their work and how to apply it to yours. Now, as you prepare for your viva, take a little more time to consider which of these references has been most helpful to you – and find a good way to mark this out in your thesis.

Nathan

Little Lists

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Annotating your thesis as part of viva prep is useful: it creates a better resource to be consulted during the viva and also focusses your attention while getting ready. You have to engage again and again to add value by underlining, highlighting and making notes in the margin. There’s plenty of space to add details but it helps to be concise and clear.

A specific, short idea for today then. Write a little list at the start of each chapter; five bullet points to capture something of the pages that follow:

  • A one-sentence summary.
  • The key takeaway of the chapter.
  • A reference that really supports the work.
  • A question to remember or reflect on.
  • Something you learned while doing the research.

A micro-review of each chapter will help sharpen your thinking while you get ready for the viva and continue to support you when you meet your examiners. Invest a little time in some little lists.

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